Rice hybrid XL723

ABSTRACT

A rice hybrid designated XL723 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of rice hybrid XL723, to the plants of rice hybrid XL723 and to methods for producing a rice plant produced by crossing the hybrid XL723 with itself or another rice plant. The invention further relates to hybrid rice seeds and plants produced by crossing the hybrid XL723 with another rice plant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive rice hybrid cultivar designated XL723. All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.

Rice is an ancient agricultural crop and is today one of the principal food crops of the world. There are two cultivated species of rice: Oryza sativa L., the Asian rice, and Oryza glaberrima Steud., the African rice. The Asian species constitutes virtually all of the world's cultivated rice and is the species grown in the United States. Three major rice producing regions exist in the United States: the Mississippi Delta (Arkansas, Mississippi, northeast Louisiana, southeast Missouri), the Gulf Coast (southwest Louisiana, southeast Texas), and the Central Valleys of California.

Rice production in the United States can be broadly categorized as either dry-seeded or water-seeded. In the dry-seeded system, rice is sown into a well-prepared seed bed with a grain drill or by broadcasting the seed and incorporating it with a disk or harrow. Moisture for seed germination is from irrigation or rainfall. Another method of planting by the dry-seeded system is to broadcast the seed by airplane into a flooded field, then promptly drain the water from the field. For the dry-seeded system, when the plants have reached sufficient size (four- to five-leaf stage), a shallow permanent flood of water 5 to 16 cm deep is applied to the field until the rice approaches maturity. Rice is grown on flooded soils to optimize grain yields. Heavy clay soils or silt loam soils with hard pan layers about 30 cm below the surface are typical rice-producing soils because they minimize water losses due to percolation.

In the water-seeded system, rice seed is soaked for 12 to 36 hours to initiate germination, and the seed is broadcast by airplane into a shallow-flooded field. Water may be drained from the field for a short period of time to enhance seedling establishment or the seedlings may be allowed to emerge through the shallow flood. In either case, a shallow flood is maintained until the rice approaches maturity. For both the dry-seeded and water-seeded production systems, the rice is harvested with large combines 2 to 3 weeks after draining.

Rice in the United States is classified into three primary market types by grain size and shape as: long-grain, medium grain and short-grain. Typical U.S. long-grain rice cooks dry and fluffy when steamed or boiled, whereas medium- and short-grain rice cooks moist and sticky. Long-grain cultivars have been traditionally grown in the southern states and generally receive higher market prices.

Although specific breeding objectives vary somewhat in the different regions, increasing yield is a primary objective in all programs. Grain yield of rice is determined by the number of panicles per unit area, the number of fertile florets per panicle, and grain weight per fertile floret. Increases in any or all of these yield components provide a mechanism to obtain higher yields. Heritable variation exists for all of these components, and breeders may directly or indirectly select for increases in any of them.

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable cultivar. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current cultivars, followed by the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of parental lines that possess the traits required to meet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single cultivar an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental sources. These important traits may include higher yield, resistance to diseases and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to low temperatures, better agronomic characteristics, and grain quality.

The goal of rice plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superior rice cultivars and hybrids. The breeder initially selects and crosses two or more parental lines, followed by selection among the many new genetic combinations. The breeder can theoretically generate billions of new and different genetic combinations via crossing. The breeder has no direct control at the cellular level; therefore, two breeders will never develop the same line, or even very similar lines, having the same rice traits.

Choice of breeding methods to select for the improved combination of traits depends on the mode of plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait being improved, and the type of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F₁ hybrid cultivar, pureline cultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superior individual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective, whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of related plants. Popular selection methods include pedigree selection, backcross selection, and single seed selection, or a combination of these methods.

Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement of self-pollinating crops such as rice. Two parents which possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed to produce an F₁. An F₂ population is produced by selfing one or several F₁s. Selection of the best individuals may begin in the F₂ population; then, beginning in the F₃, the best individuals in the best families are selected. Replicated testing of families can begin in the F₄ generation to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F₆ and F₇), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potential release as new parental lines.

Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations of either self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variable population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selected based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent combining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new population in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simply inherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivar or inbred line which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After the initial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent.

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When the population has been advanced from the F₂ to the desired level of inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to different F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declines each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plants to produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plants originally sampled in the population will be represented by a progeny when generation advance is completed.

In a multiple-seed procedure, rice breeders commonly harvest one or more seeds from each plant in a population and thresh them together to form a bulk. Part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation and part is put in reserve. The procedure has been referred to as modified single-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique.

The multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest. It is considerably faster to thresh panicles with a machine than to remove one seed from each by hand for the single-seed procedure. The multiple-seed procedure also makes it possible to plant the same number of seeds of a population each generation of inbreeding. Enough seeds are harvested to make up for those plants that did not germinate or produce seed.

Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used for different traits and crops can be found in one of several reference books (e.g., Allard, R. W. et al. Principles of Plant Breeding (1999); Agrawal, R. L. Fundamentals of Plant Breeding and Hybrid Seed Production (1998); Schlegel, R. H. J. Encyclopedic Dictionary of plant Breeding and Related Subjects (2003); Fehr, W. R. et al. Principles of Cultivar Development—Theory and Technique (1987)).

Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation of the efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria vary depending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain from selection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard, overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successful cultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollar expended, etc.).

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the commercial target area(s) for at least three or more years. The best lines are candidates for new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits may be used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.

These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, usually take from 8 to 12 years from the time the first cross is made and may rely on the development of improved breeding lines as precursors. Therefore, development of new cultivars is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.

A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that are genetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic value is masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors. One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance relative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standard cultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicated observations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.

Each breeding cycle, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to the next generation. This germplasm is grown under unique and different geographical, climatic and soil conditions, and further selections are then made, throughout the growing season. The cultivars which are developed are unpredictable. This unpredictability is because the breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no control at the DNA level (using conventional breeding procedures), and with millions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. A breeder of ordinary skill in the art cannot predict the final resulting lines he develops, except possibly in a very gross and general fashion. The same breeder cannot produce the same cultivar twice by using the exact same original parents and the same selection techniques. This unpredictability results in the expenditure of large amounts of research monies to develop superior new rice cultivars.

Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level of superiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivar that is compatible with industry standards or which creates a new market. The introduction of a new cultivar will incur additional costs to the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer; for special advertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release of a new cultivar should take into consideration research and development costs as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar. For seed-propagated cultivars, it must be feasible to produce seed easily and economically.

Rice, Oryza sativa L., is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, a continuing goal of rice breeders is to develop stable, high yielding rice cultivars that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goal are to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land used and to supply food for both animals and humans. To accomplish this goal, the rice breeder must select and develop rice plants that have the traits that result in superior cultivars.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.

The present invention relates to a hybrid rice cultivar, designated XL723, and seeds and plants derived from the hybrid. The invention also relates to hybrid plants and seeds and any further progeny or descendants of the hybrid derived by crossing XL723 as a pollen donor. The invention is also directed to methods for producing a rice plant by crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant wherein the first parent is inbred rice line 054001 and the second parent is inbred rice line 053001. Thus, any methods using the hybrid rice line XL723 in backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like, are part of this invention. All plants which are a progeny of or descend from hybrid rice line XL723 are within the scope of this invention. It is an aspect of this invention for rice hybrid XL723 to be used in crosses with other, different, rice plants to produce first generation (F₁) rice hybrid seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

In another aspect, the present invention provides for single gene converted plants of the parents of XL723. The single transferred gene may preferably be a dominant or recessive allele. Preferably, the single transferred gene will confer such traits as herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral diseases, male fertility, male sterility, enhanced nutritional quality, and industrial usage. The single gene may be a naturally occurring rice gene or a transgene introduced through genetic engineering techniques.

In another aspect, the present invention provides regenerable cells for use in tissue culture of rice plant XL723. The tissue culture will preferably be capable of regenerating plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of the foregoing rice plant, and of regenerating plants having substantially the same genotype as the foregoing rice plant. Preferably, the regenerable cells in such tissue cultures will be embryos, protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers, pistils, root tips, glumes, seeds, panicles or stems. Still further, the present invention provides rice plants regenerated from the tissue cultures of the invention.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by study of the following descriptions.

DEFINITIONS

In the description and tables which follow, a number of terms are used. In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms, the following definitions are provided:

Alkali Spreading Value. Indicator of gelatinization temperature and an index that measures the extent of disintegration of milled rice kernel in contact with dilute alkali solution. Standard long grains have 3 to 5 Alkali Spreading Value (intermediate gelatinization temperature).

Allele. An allele is any of one or more alternative forms of a gene, all of which relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cell or organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on a pair of homologous chromosomes.

Apparent Amylose Percent. The most important grain characteristic that describes cooking behavior in each grain class, or type, i.e., long, medium and short grain. It is the amount of amylose in the endosperm starch of milled rice that can be detected using the iodine binding method. Generally standard long grains contain 19 to 23% amylose. Rexmont type long grains contain 24 to 25% amylose. Short and medium grains contain 16 to 19% amylose. Waxy rice contains 0% amylose. Amylose values will vary over environments.

Backcrossing. Backcrossing is a process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybrid progeny back to one of the parents, for example, a first generation hybrid F₁ with one of the parental genotypes of the F₁ hybrid.

Breakdown. The peak viscosity minus the trough viscosity.

Chalk. An opaque region of the rice kernel due to loose packing of the starch granules. Chalk may occur throughout or in a part of the kernel.

Consistency. Final viscosity minus trough viscosity.

Days to 50% heading. Average number of days from emergence to the day when 50% of all panicles are exerted at least partially through the leaf sheath. A measure of maturity.

Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics. A plant having essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphological characteristics of the cultivar, except for the characteristics derived from the converted gene.

Final Viscosity. The viscosity measure of rice flour/water slurry after being heated to 95° C. and uniformly cooled to 50° C. (American Association of Cereal Chemists). Values less than 200 for cool paste indicate softer cooking types of rice.

Gelatinization temperature. The temperature at which a defined flour-water mixture exhibits a measurable viscosity increase under a standardized, instrument-specific cooking cycle (also known as “initial viscosity increase temperature”).

Grain Length (L). Length of a rice grain is measured in millimeters.

Grain Width (W). Width of a rice grain is measured in millimeters.

Grain Yield. Grain yield is measured in kilograms per hectare and at 12.0% moisture. Grain yield of rice is determined by the number of panicles per unit area, the number of fertile florets per panicle, and grain weight per floret.

Harvest Moisture. The percent of moisture of the grain when harvested.

Length/Width (L/W) Ratio. This ratio is determined by dividing the average length (L) by the average width (W).

Lodging Percent. Lodging is measured as a subjective rating and is a percentage of the plant stems leaning or fallen completely to the ground before harvest.

1000 Grain Wt. The weight of 1000 rice grains as measured in grams.

Paste Temperature (also called Initial Viscosity Increase Temperature). The temperature at which a defined flour-water mixture exhibits a measurable viscosity increase under a standardized, instrument-specific (RAPID VISCO Analyzer) cooking cycle.

Paste Time. The time at which a defined flour-water mixture exhibits a measurable viscosity increase under a standardized, instrument-specific (RAPID VISCO Analyzer) cooking cycle.

Peak Temperature at Peak Viscosity. The temperature at which peak hot paste viscosity is attained.

Peak Time. The time at which peak (maximum) hot-paste viscosity is attained during a standardized, instrument-specific (RAPID VISCO Analyzer) cooking cycle.

Plant Height. Plant height in centimeters is taken from soil surface to the tip of the extended panicle at harvest.

Peak Viscosity. The maximum viscosity attained during heating when a standardized instrument-specific protocol is applied to a defined rice flour-water slurry.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer to genetic loci that control to some degree numerically representable traits that are usually continuously distributed.

RVA Viscosity. The RAPID VISCO Analyzer (RVA) is a widely used laboratory instrument to examine paste viscosity, or thickening ability of milled rice during the cooking process.

Regeneration. Regeneration refers to the development of a plant from tissue culture.

Setback. Setback is the final viscosity minus trough viscosity.

Single Gene Converted (Conversion). Single gene converted (conversion) plant refers to plants which are developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of a variety are recovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique or via genetic engineering.

Total Milling (also called Milling Yield). The quantity of total milled rice produced in the milling of rough rice to a well-milled degree; it is usually expressed as a percent of rough rice by weight, but when specified, may be expressed as a percent of brown rice.

Trough (also known as hot-paste viscosity). Viscosity measure of rice flour/water slurry after being heated to 95° C. Lower values indicate softer and stickier cooking types of rice.

Trough Time. The time at which the Trough (hot-paste viscosity) occurs when a defined flour-water mixture has been heated to and held at the maximum temperature of a standardized, instrument-specific (RAPID VISCO Analyzer) cooking cycle.

Trough Viscosity. The minimum viscosity after the peak, normally occurring when the sample starts to cool.

Whole Milling (also called Head Rice Milling Yield). The quantity of milled head (¾-whole) rice produced in the milling of rough rice to a well-milled degree, usually expressed in the United States as a percent of rough rice by weight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Rice hybrid XL723 is a high yielding, very early maturing, and photoperiod insensitive, long grain hybrid rice cultivar. It is produced from the cross of the male fertile inbred rice line 053001 and the male sterile inbred rice line 054001. The hybrid has shown uniformity and stability, as described in the following hybrid description information. It has been produced and tested a sufficient number of years with careful attention to uniformity of plant type. The hybrid has been increased with continued observation for uniformity of the parent lines.

Rice hybrid XL723 has the following morphologic and other characteristics (based primarily on data collected at Alvin, Tex.).

TABLE 1 HYBRID DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Maturity (Alvin, Texas at 150 kg/ha N) Days to maturity: 76 days from emergence to 50% heading Maturity Class: Very early (70-85 days) Culm (Degrees from perpendicular after flowering) Angle: Erect (less than 30°) Length: 107 cm (Soil level to top of extended panicle on main stem) Height Class: Medium Internode Color (After flowering): Light gold Strength (Lodging resistance): Moderately weak (most plants leaning with up to 30% lodging) Flag Leaf (After Heading) Length: 24 cm Width: 1.5 cm Pubescence: Pubescent Leaf Angle (After heading): Intermediate Blade Color: Green Basal Leaf Sheath Color: Purple lines Ligule Color (Late vegetative state): Purple lines Shape: Acute to Acuminate Collar Color (Late vegetative stage): Pale Green Auricle Color (Late vegetative stage): Pale green Panicle Length: 24 cm Type: Intermediate Secondary Branching: Light Exsertion (near maturity): 91-99% Axis: Droopy Shattering: Low (1-5%) Threshability: Easy Grain (Spikelet) Awns (After full heading): Absent Apiculus Color (At maturity): Purple Stigma Color: Purple Stigma Exsertion (at flowering): 100% Lemma and Palea Color (At maturity): Straw Lemma and Palea Pubescence: Short hairs Spikelet Sterility (At maturity): Fertile (75-90%) Grain (Seed) Seed Coat Color: Light Brown Endosperm Type: Nonglutinous (nonwaxy) Endosperm Translucency: Clear Endosperm Chalkiness: Small (percentage of grains with more than 20% of chalkiness) Scent: Nonscented Shape Class (Length/width ratio): Long Measurements: Length Width L/W 1000 Grains (mm) (mm) Ratio (grams) Milled 6.95 2.19 3.17 22 Milling Yield (% whole kernel (head) rice to rough rice): 56.7% Apparent Amylose: 18.9% Alkali Spreading value: 2.9 (1.5% KOH Solution) Gelatinization Temperature Type: Intermediate Disease Resistance Rice Blast (Pyricularia oryzae): Overall Resistance: Highly resistant Resistant to races: IB-1, IB-5, IB-49, IB-54; IC-1, IC-17; ID-1, ID-13; IE-1; IG-1; IH-1 Straight Head: Moderately susceptible Sheath Blight (Rhizoctonia solani): Susceptible Kernel Smut (Neovossia horrida/Tilletia barclayana): Susceptible

This invention is also directed to methods for producing a rice plant by crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant, wherein the first or second rice plant is a rice plant from the hybrid XL723. Further, both first and second parent rice plants may be from the hybrid XL723. Therefore, any methods using the hybrid XL723 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid breeding, and crosses to populations. Any plants produced using rice hybrid XL723 as a parent are within the scope of this invention.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producing a rice hybrid XL723-derived rice plant by crossing rice hybrid XL723 with a second rice plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating the crossing and growing steps with the rice hybrid XL723-derived plant from 0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the rice hybrid XL723 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like. All plants produced using rice hybrid XL723 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, including plants derived from rice hybrid XL723.

It should be understood that the parents of hybrid XL723 can, through routine manipulation of cytoplasmic or other factors, be produced in a male-sterile form. Such embodiments are also contemplated within the scope of the present claims.

FURTHER EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With the advent of molecular biological techniques that have allowed the isolation and characterization of genes that encode specific protein products, scientists in the field of plant biology developed a strong interest in engineering the genome of plants to contain and express foreign genes, or additional, or modified versions of native, or endogenous, genes (perhaps driven by different promoters) in order to alter the traits of a plant in a specific manner. Such foreign additional and/or modified genes are referred to herein collectively as “transgenes”. Over the last fifteen to twenty years, several methods for producing transgenic plants have been developed, and the present invention, in particular embodiments, also relates to transformed versions of the parents of the claimed hybrid.

Culture for expressing desired structural genes and cultured cells are known in the art. Also as known in the art, rice is transformable and regenerable such that whole plants containing and expressing desired genes under regulatory control may be obtained. General descriptions of plant expression vectors and reporter genes and transformation protocols can be found in Gruber, et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation”, in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Glich, et al., (Eds. pp. 89-119, CRC Press, 1993). Moreover GUS expression vectors and GUS gene cassettes are available from Clone Tech Laboratories, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif. while luciferase expression vectors and luciferase gene cassettes are available from ProMega Corp. (Madison, Wis.). General methods of culturing plant tissues are provided for example by Maki, et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Glich, et al., (Eds. pp. 67-88 CRC Press, 1993); and by Phillips, et al., “Cell-Tissue Culture and In-Vitro Manipulation” in Corn & Corn Improvement, 3rd Edition; Sprague, et al., (Eds. pp. 345-387) American Society of Agronomy Inc., 1988. Methods of introducing expression vectors into plant tissue include the direct infection or co-cultivation of plant cells with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Horsch et al., Science, 227:1229 (1985). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer provided by Gruber, et al., supra.

Useful methods include but are not limited to expression vectors introduced into plant tissues using a direct gene transfer method such as microprojectile-mediated delivery, DNA injection, electroporation and the like. More preferably expression vectors are introduced into plant tissues using a microprojectile media delivery system with a biolistic device or using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transformant plants obtained with the protoplasm of the invention are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vector which will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNA comprising a gene under control of or operatively linked to a regulatory element (for example, a promoter). The expression vector may contain one or more such operably linked gene/regulatory element combinations. The vector(s) may be in the form of a plasmid, and can be used alone or in combination with other plasmids, to provide transformed rice plants, using transformation methods as described below to incorporate transgenes into the genetic material of the rice plant(s).

Expression Vectors for Rice Transformation—Marker Genes

Expression vectors include at least one genetic marker, operably linked to a regulatory element (a promoter, for example) that allows transformed cells containing the marker to be either recovered by negative selection, i.e., inhibiting growth of cells that do not contain the selectable marker gene, or by positive selection, i.e., screening for the product encoded by the genetic marker. Many commonly used selectable marker genes for plant transformation are well known in the transformation arts, and include, for example, genes that code for enzymes that metabolically detoxify a selective chemical agent which may be an antibiotic or an herbicide, or genes that encode an altered target which is insensitive to the inhibitor. A few positive selection methods are also known in the art.

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene, isolated from transposon Tn5, which when placed under the control of plant regulatory signals confers resistance to kanamycin. Fraley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 80:4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to the antibiotic hygromycin. Vanden Elzen et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5:299 (1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that confer resistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase, streptomycin phosphotransferase, and aminoglycoside-3′-adenyl transferase, the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford et al., Plant Physiol. 86:1216 (1988); Jones et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210:86 (1987); Svab et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 14:197 (1990); Hille et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 7:171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes confer resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate or bromoxynil. Comai et al., Nature 317:741-744 (1985), Gordon-Kamm et al., Plant Cell 2:603-618 (1990) and Stalker et al., Science 242:419-423 (1988).

Other selectable marker genes for plant transformation not of bacterial origin include, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase and plant acetolactate synthase. Eichholtz et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet. 13:67 (1987), Shah et al., Science 233:478 (1986), Charest et al., Plant Cell Rep. 8:643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation requires screening of presumptively transformed plant cells rather than direct genetic selection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxic substance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful to quantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene in specific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genes because they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for the investigation of gene expression. Commonly used genes for screening presumptively transformed cells include β-glucuronidase (GUS), β-galactosidase, luciferase and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 5:387 (1987), Teeri et al., EMBO J. 8:343 (1989), Koncz et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci U.S.A. 84:131 (1987), DeBlock et al., EMBO J. 3:1681 (1984). Another approach to the identification of relatively rare transformation events has been use of a gene that encodes a dominant constitutive regulator of the Zea mays anthocyanin pigmentation pathway. Ludwig et al., Science 247:449 (1990).

In vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do not require destruction of plant tissue are available. Molecular Probes publication 2908, IMAGENE GREEN, p. 1-4 (1993) and Naleway et al., J. Cell Biol. 115:151 a (1991). However, these in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity have not proven useful for recovery of transformed cells because of low sensitivity, high fluorescent backgrounds and limitations associated with the use of luciferase genes as selectable markers.

More recently, a gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has been utilized as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Chalfie et al., Science 263:802 (1994). GFP and mutants of GFP may be used as screenable markers.

Expression Vectors for Rice Transformation—Promoters

Genes included in expression vectors must be driven by nucleotide sequence comprising a regulatory element, for example, a promoter. Several types of promoters are now well known in the transformation arts, as are other regulatory elements that can be used alone or in combination with promoters.

As used herein, “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNA upstream from the start of transcription and involved in recognition and binding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription. A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription in plant cells. Examples of promoters under developmental control include promoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues, such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, or sclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred”. Promoters which initiate transcription only in certain tissue are referred to as “tissue-specific”. A “cell type” specific promoter primarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs, for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoter is a promoter which is under environmental control. Examples of environmental conditions that may effect transcription by inducible promoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light. Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell type specific, and inducible promoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A “constitutive” promoter is a promoter which is active under most environmental conditions.

A. Inducible Promoters—An inducible promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. Optionally, the inducible promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. With an inducible promoter the rate of transcription increases in response to an inducing agent.

Any inducible promoter can be used in the instant invention. See Ward et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 22:361-366 (1993). Exemplary inducible promoters include, but are not limited to, that from the ACEI system which responds to copper (Meft et al., PNAS 90:4567-4571 (1993)); In2 gene from maize which responds to benzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners (Hershey et al., Mol. Gen Genetics 227:229-237 (1991) and Gatz et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 243:32-38 (1994)) or Tet repressor from Tn10 (Gatz et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 227:229-237 (1991)). A particularly preferred inducible promoter is a promoter that responds to an inducing agent to which plants do not normally respond. An exemplary inducible promoter is the inducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, the transcriptional activity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroid hormone (Schena et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88:0421 (1991)).

B. Constitutive Promoters—A constitutive promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice or the constitutive promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice.

Many different constitutive promoters can be utilized in the instant invention. Exemplary constitutive promoters include, but are not limited to, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoter from CaMV (Odell et al., Nature 313:810-812 (1985)) and the promoters from such genes as rice actin (McElroy et al., Plant Cell 2:163-171 (1990)); ubiquitin (Christensen et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 12:619-632 (1989) and Christensen et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 18:675-689 (1992)); pEMU (Last et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. 81:581-588 (1991)); MAS (Velten et al., EMBO J. 3:2723-2730 (1984)) and maize H3 histone (Lepetit et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 231:276-285 (1992) and Atanassova et al., Plant Journal 2 (3): 291-300 (1992)).

The ALS promoter, Xba1/NcoI fragment 5′ to the Brassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or a nucleotide sequence similarity to said Xba1/NcoI fragment), represents a particularly useful constitutive promoter. See PCT application WO96/30530.

C. Tissue-specific or Tissue-preferred Promoters—A tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. Plants transformed with a gene of interest operably linked to a tissue-specific promoter produce the protein product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in a specific tissue.

Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter can be utilized in the instant invention. Exemplary tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoters include, but are not limited to, a root-preferred promoter, such as that from the phaseolin gene (Murai et al., Science 23:476-482 (1983) and Sengupta-Gopalan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82:3320-3324 (1985)); a leaf-specific and light-induced promoter such as that from cab or rubisco (Simpson et al., EMBO J. 4(11):2723-2729 (1985) and Timko et al., Nature 318:579-582 (1985)); an anther-specific promoter such as that from LAT52 (Twell et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 217:240-245 (1989)); a pollen-specific promoter such as that from Zm13 (Guerrero et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 244:161-168 (1993)) or a microspore-preferred promoter such as that from apg (Twell et al., Sex. Plant Reprod. 6:217-224 (1993)).

Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of protein produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartment such as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall or mitochondrion or for secretion into the apoplast, is accomplished by means of operably linking the nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encoding the protein of interest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the structural gene may determine, during protein synthesis and processing, where the encoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized.

The presence of a signal sequence directs a polypeptide to either an intracellular organelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion to the apoplast. Many signal sequences are known in the art. See, for example Becker et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 20:49 (1992); Close, P. S., Master's Thesis, Iowa State University (1993); Knox, C., et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 9:3-17 (1987); Lerner et al., Plant Physiol. 91:124-129 (1989); Fontes et al., Plant Cell 3:483-496 (1991); Matsuoka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 88:834 (1991); Gould et al., J. Cell. Biol. 108:1657 (1989); Creissen et al., Plant J. 2:129 (1991); Kalderon, et al., Cell 39:499-509 (1984); Steifel, et al., Plant Cell 2:785-793 (1990).

Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes

With transgenic plants according to the present invention, a foreign protein can be produced in commercial quantities. Thus, techniques for the selection and propagation of transformed plants, which are well understood in the art, yield a plurality of transgenic plants which are harvested in a conventional manner, and a foreign protein then can be extracted from a tissue of interest or from total biomass. Protein extraction from plant biomass can be accomplished by known methods which are discussed, for example, by Heney and Orr, Anal. Biochem. 114:92-6 (1981).

According to a preferred embodiment, the transgenic plant provided for commercial production of foreign protein is rice. In another preferred embodiment, the biomass of interest is seed. For the relatively small number of transgenic plants that show higher levels of expression, a genetic map can be generated, primarily via conventional RFLP, PCR and SSR analysis, which identifies the approximate chromosomal location of the integrated DNA molecule. For exemplary methodologies in this regard, see Glick and Thompson, Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology CRC Press, Boca Raton 269:284 (1993). Map information concerning chromosomal location is useful for proprietary protection of a subject transgenic plant. If unauthorized propagation is undertaken and crosses made with other germplasm, the map of the integration region can be compared to similar maps for suspect plants, to determine if the latter have a common parentage with the subject plant. Map comparisons would involve hybridizations, RFLP, PCR, SSR and sequencing, all of which are conventional techniques.

Likewise, by means of the present invention, agronomic genes can be expressed in transformed plants. More particularly, plants can be genetically engineered to express various phenotypes of agronomic interest. Exemplary genes implicated in this regard include, but are not limited to, those categorized below:

1. Genes that Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease and that Encode:

A. Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defenses are often activated by specific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene (R) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (Avr) gene in the pathogen. A plant cultivar can be transformed with cloned resistance gene to engineer plants that are resistant to specific pathogen strains. See, for example Jones et al., Science 266:789 (1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance to Cladosporium fulvum); Martin et al., Science 262:1432 (1993) (tomato Pto gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato encodes a protein kinase); Mindrinos et al., Cell 78:1089 (1994) (Arabidopsis RSP2 gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae).

B. A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or a synthetic polypeptide modeled thereon. See, for example, Geiser et al., Gene 48:109 (1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a Bt δ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding δ-endotoxin genes can be purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va., for example, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098, 67136, 31995 and 31998.

C. A lectin. See, for example, the disclosure by Van Damme et al., Plant Molec. Biol. 24:25 (1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequences of several Clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin genes.

D. A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See PCT application US93/06487. The application teaches the use of avidin and avidin homologues as larvicides against insect pests.

E. An enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease or proteinase inhibitor or an amylase inhibitor. See, for example, Abe et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262:16793 (1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinase inhibitor), Huub et al., Plant Molec. Biol. 21:985 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor I), Sumitani et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem. 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of Streptomyces nitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor).

F. An insect-specific hormone or pheromone such as an ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or an antagonist or agonist thereof. See, for example, the disclosure by Hammock et al., Nature 344:458 (1990), of baculovirus expression of cloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone.

G. An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide which, upon expression, disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. For example, see the disclosures of Regan, J. Biol. Chem. 269:9 (1994) (expression cloning yields DNA coding for insect diuretic hormone receptor), and Pratt et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 163:1243 (1989) (an allostatin is identified in Diploptera puntata). See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,317 to Tomalski et al., who disclose genes encoding insect-specific, paralytic neurotoxins.

H. An insect-specific venom produced in nature by a snake, a wasp, etc. For example, see Pang et al., Gene 116:165 (1992), for disclosure of heterologous expression in plants of a gene coding for a scorpion insectotoxic peptide.

I. An enzyme responsible for a hyper-accumulation of a monoterpene, a sesquiterpene, a steroid, a hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoid derivative or another non-protein molecule with insecticidal activity.

J. An enzyme involved in the modification, including the post-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule; for example, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolytic enzyme, a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase, a phosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, a chitinase and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic. See PCT application WO 93/02197 in the name of Scott et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a callase gene. DNA molecules which contain chitinase-encoding sequences can be obtained, for example, from the ATCC under Accession Nos. 39637 and 67152. See also Kramer et al., Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 23:691 (1993), who teach the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding tobacco hornworm chitinase, and Kawalleck et al., Plant Molec. Biol. 21:673 (1993), who provide the nucleotide sequence of the parsley ubi4-2 polyubiquitin gene.

K. A molecule that stimulates signal transduction. For example, see the disclosure by Botella et al., Plant Molec. Biol. 24:757 (1994), of nucleotide sequences for mung bean calmodulin cDNA clones, and Griess et al., Plant Physiol. 104:1467 (1994), who provide the nucleotide sequence of a maize calmodulin cDNA clone.

L. A hydrophobic moment peptide. See PCT application WO95/16776 (disclosure of peptide derivatives of Tachyplesin which inhibit fungal plant pathogens) and PCT application WO95/18855 (teaches synthetic antimicrobial peptides that confer disease resistance), the respective contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

M. A membrane permease, a channel former or a channel blocker. For example, see the disclosure of Jaynes et al., Plant Sci 89:43 (1993), of heterologous expression of a cecropin-β, lytic peptide analog to render transgenic tobacco plants resistant to Pseudomonas solanacearum.

N. A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom. For example, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plant cells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease development effected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, as well as by related viruses. See Beachy et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol. 28:451 (1990). Coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upon transformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus, tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobacco etch virus, tobacco rattle virus and tobacco mosaic virus. Id.

O. An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom. Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic function in the insect gut would inactivate an affected enzyme, killing the insect. Cf. Taylor et al., Abstract #497, Seventh Int'l Symposium on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (Edinburgh, Scotland) (1994) (enzymatic inactivation in transgenic tobacco via production of single-chain antibody fragments).

P. A virus-specific antibody. See, for example, Tavladoraki et al., Nature 366:469 (1993), who show that transgenic plants expressing recombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack.

Q. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a pathogen or a parasite. Thus, fungal endo-α-1,4-D-polygalacturonases facilitate fungal colonization and plant nutrient release by solubilizing plant cell wall homo-α-1,4-D-galacturonase. See Lamb et al., Bio/Technology 10:1436 (1992). The cloning and characterization of a gene which encodes a bean endopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein is described by Toubart et al., Plant J. 2:367 (1992).

R. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a plant. For example, Logemann et al., Bio/Technology 10:305 (1992), have shown that transgenic plants expressing the barley ribosome-inactivating gene have an increased resistance to fungal disease.

2. Genes that Confer Resistance to an Herbicide, for Example:

A. An herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as an imidazolinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category code for mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee et al., EMBO J. 7:1241 (1988), and Miki et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. 80:449 (1990), respectively.

B. Glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant 5-enolpyruvishikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP) and aroA genes, respectively and other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate (phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) and Streptomyces hygroscopicus PAT bar genes), and pyridinoxy or phenoxy propionic acids and cyclohexones (ACCase inhibitor-encoding genes). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 to Shah, et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a form of EPSP which can confer glyphosate resistance. A DNA molecule encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtained under ATCC accession number 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant gene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061 to Comai. European patent application No. 0 333 033 to Kumada et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374 to Goodman et al., disclose nucleotide sequences of glutamine synthetase genes which confer resistance to herbicides such as L-phosphinothricin. The nucleotide sequence of a PAT gene is provided in European application No. 0 242 246 to Leemans et al. DeGreef et al., Bio/Technology 7:61 (1989), describe the production of transgenic plants that express chimeric bar genes coding for PAT activity. Exemplary of genes conferring resistance to phenoxy propionic acids and cyclohexones, such as sethoxydim and haloxyfop are the Acc1-S1, Acc1-S2 and Acc1-S3 genes described by Marshall et al., Theor. Appl. Genet 83:435 (1992).

C. An herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbA and gs+ genes) or a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibilla et al., Plant Cell 3:169 (1991), describe the transformation of Chlamydomonas with plasmids encoding mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences for nitrilase genes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker, and DNA molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC Accession Nos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. Cloning and expression of DNA coding for a glutathione S-transferase is described by Hayes et al., Biochem. J. 285:173 (1992).

3. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-Added Trait, Such as:

A. Modified fatty acid metabolism, for example, by transforming a plant with an antisense gene of stearyl-ACP desaturase to increase stearic acid content of the plant. See Knultzon et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89:2624 (1992).

B. Decreased phytate content, 1) Introduction of a phytase-encoding gene would enhance breakdown of phytate, adding more free phosphate to the transformed plant. For example, see Van Hartingsveldt et al., Gene 127:87 (1993), for a disclosure of the nucleotide sequence of an Aspergillus niger phytase gene; 2) A gene could be introduced that reduced phytate content. In maize, this, for example, could be accomplished, by cloning and then reintroducing DNA associated with the single allele which is responsible for maize mutants characterized by low levels of phytic acid. See Raboy et al., Maydica 35:383 (1990).

C. Modified carbohydrate composition effected, for example, by transforming plants with a gene coding for an enzyme that alters the branching pattern of starch. See Shiroza et al., J. Bacteol. 170:810 (1988) (nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus mutants fructosyltransferase gene), Steinmetz et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 20:220 (1985) (nucleotide sequence of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene), Pen et al., Bio/Technology 10:292 (1992) (production of transgenic plants that express Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase), Elliot et al., Plant Molec. Biol. 21:515 (1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomato invertase genes), Søgaard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268:22480 (1993) (site-directed mutagenesis of barley α-amylase gene), and Fisher et al., Plant Physiol. 102:1045 (1993) (maize endosperm starch branching enzyme II).

Methods for Rice Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed, including biological and physical, plant transformation protocols. See, for example, Miki et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick B. R. and Thompson, J. E. Eds. (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1993) pages 67-88. In addition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methods for plant cell or tissue transformation and regeneration of plants are available. See, for example, Gruber et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick B. R. and Thompson, J. E. Eds. (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1993) pages 89-119.

A. Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation—One method for introducing an expression vector into plants is based on the natural transformation system of Agrobacterium. See, for example, Horsch et al., Science 227:1229 (1985). A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes are plant pathogenic soil bacteria which genetically transform plant cells. The Ti and Ri plasmids of A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes, respectively, carry genes responsible for genetic transformation of the plant. See, for example, Kado, C. I., Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 10:1 (1991). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber et al., supra, Miki et al., supra, and Moloney et al., Plant Cell Reports 8:238 (1989). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616 issued Jan. 7, 1997.

B. Direct Gene Transfer—Despite the fact the host range for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is broad, some major cereal crop species and gymnosperms have generally been recalcitrant to this mode of gene transfer, even though some success has recently been achieved in rice and corn. Hiei et al., The Plant Journal 6:271-282 (1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616 issued Jan. 7, 1997. Several methods of plant transformation collectively referred to as direct gene transfer have been developed as an alternative to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

A generally applicable method of plant transformation is microprojectile-mediated transformation wherein DNA is carried on the surface of microprojectiles measuring 1 to 4 μm. The expression vector is introduced into plant tissues with a biolistic device that accelerates the microprojectiles to speeds of 300 to 600 m/s which is sufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes. Sanford et al., Part. Sci. Technol. 5:27 (1987), Sanford, J. C., Trends Biotech. 6:299 (1988), Klein et al., Bio/Technology 6:559-563 (1988), Sanford, J. C., Physiol Plant 7:206 (1990), Klein et al., Biotechnology 10:268 (1992). In corn, several target tissues can be bombarded with DNA-coated microprojectiles in order to produce transgenic plants, including, for example, callus (Type I or Type II), immature embryos, and meristematic tissue.

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication of target cells. Zhang et al., Bio/Technology 9:996 (1991). Additionally, liposome and spheroplast fusion have been used to introduce expression vectors into plants. Deshayes et al., EMBO J., 4:2731 (1985), Christou et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:3962 (1987). Direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts using CaCl₂ precipitation, polyvinyl alcohol or poly-L-ornithine has also been reported. Hain et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 199:161 (1985) and Draper et al., Plant Cell Physiol. 23:451 (1982). Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cells and tissues have also been described. Donn et al., In Abstracts of VIIth International Congress on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture IAPTC, A2-38, p 53 (1990); D'Halluin et al., Plant Cell 4:1495-1505 (1992) and Spencer et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 24:51-61 (1994).

Following transformation of rice target tissues, expression of the above-described selectable marker genes allows for preferential selection of transformed cells, tissues and/or plants, using regeneration and selection methods now well known in the art.

Singe Gene Conversion

The foregoing methods for transformation would typically be used for producing a transgenic cultivar. The transgenic cultivar could be crossed, with another (non-transformed or transformed) cultivar, in order to produce a new transgenic cultivar. Alternatively, a genetic trait which has been engineered into a particular rice cultivar using the foregoing transformation techniques could be moved into another cultivar using traditional backcrossing techniques that are well known in the plant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach could be used to move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite cultivar into an elite cultivar, or from a cultivar containing a foreign gene in its genome into a cultivar which does not contain that gene. As used herein, “crossing” can refer to a simple X by Y cross, or the process of backcrossing, depending on the context.

When the term rice plant is used in the context of the present invention, this also includes any single gene conversions of that cultivar. The term single gene converted plant as used herein refers to those rice plants which are developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of a cultivar are recovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the cultivar via the backcrossing technique. Backcrossing methods can be used with the present invention to improve or introduce a characteristic into the cultivar. The term backcrossing as used herein refers to the repeated crossing of a hybrid progeny back to one of the parental rice plants, the recurrent parent, for that cultivar, i.e., backcrossing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more times to the recurrent parent. The parental rice plant which contributes the gene for the desired characteristic is termed the nonrecurrent or donor parent. This terminology refers to the fact that the nonrecurrent parent is used one time in the backcross protocol and therefore does not recur. The parental rice plant to which the gene or genes from the nonrecurrent parent are transferred is known as the recurrent parent as it is used for several rounds in the backcrossing protocol (Jennings, P. R. et al. Rice Improvement (1979); Mackill D. On your mark, get, select. Rice Today, July-September pp 28-29 (2004); Fehr, W. R. et al. Principles of Cultivar Development—Theory and Technique (1987)).

In a typical backcross protocol, the original cultivar of interest (recurrent parent) is crossed to a second cultivar (nonrecurrent parent) that carries the single gene of interest to be transferred. The resulting progeny from this cross are then crossed again to the recurrent parent and the process is repeated until a rice plant is obtained wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of the recurrent parent are recovered in the converted plant, in addition to the single transferred gene from the nonrecurrent parent.

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for a successful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol is to alter or substitute a single trait or characteristic in the original cultivar. To accomplish this, a single gene of the recurrent cultivar is modified or substituted with the desired gene from the nonrecurrent parent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the desired genetic, and therefore the desired physiological and morphological, constitution of the original cultivar. The choice of the particular nonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross; one of the major purposes is to add some commercially desirable, agronomically important trait to the plant. The exact backcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristic or trait being altered to determine an appropriate testing protocol. Although backcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristic being transferred is a dominant allele, a recessive allele may also be transferred. In this instance it may be necessary to introduce a test of the progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has been successfully transferred.

Many single gene traits have been identified that are not regularly selected for in the development of a new cultivar but that can be improved by backcrossing techniques. Single gene traits may or may not be transgenic, examples of these traits include but are not limited to, male sterility, waxy starch, herbicide resistance, resistance for bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insect resistance, male fertility, enhanced nutritional quality, industrial usage, yield stability and yield enhancement. These genes are generally inherited through the nucleus. Some known exceptions to this are the genes for male sterility, some of which are inherited cytoplasmically, but still act as single gene traits. Several of these single gene traits are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,196; 5,948,957 and 5,969,212, the disclosures of which are specifically hereby incorporated by reference.

Tissue Culture

Further reproduction of the hybrid can occur by tissue culture and regeneration. Tissue culture of various tissues of rice and regeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widely published. For example, reference may be had to Komatsuda, T. et al., Crop Sci. 31:333-337 (1991); Stephens, P. A., et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. (1991) 82:633-635; Komatsuda, T. et al., Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 28:103-113 (1992); Dhir, S. et al., Plant Cell Reports (1992) 11:285-289; Pandey, P. et al., Japan J. Breed. 42:1-5 (1992); and Shetty, K., et al., Plant Science 81:245-251 (1992); as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,944 issued Jun. 18, 1991 to Collins et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,200 issued Apr. 16, 1991 to Ranch et al. Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiation produce rice plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice hybrid XL723.

As used herein, the term “tissue culture” indicates a composition comprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplary types of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that can generate tissue culture that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as embryos, pollen, flowers, seeds, glumes, panicles, leaves, stems, roots, root tips, anthers, and the like. Means for preparing and maintaining plant tissue culture are well known in the art. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organs has been used to produce regenerated plants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,185; 5,973,234 and 5,977,445 describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cells of tissue culture from which rice plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as pollen, flowers, embryos, ovules, seeds, panicles, glumes, leaves, stems, pistils, anthers and the like. Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide for cells which upon growth and differentiation produce a cultivar having essentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of XL723.

The present invention contemplates a rice plant regenerated from a tissue culture of the hybrid rice plant of the present invention. As is well known in the art, tissue culture of rice can be used for the in vitro regeneration of a rice plant. Tissue culture of various tissues of rice and regeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widely published. For example, reference may be had to Chu, Q. R., et al., (1999) “Use of bridging parents with high anther culturability to improve plant regeneration and breeding value in rice”, Rice Biotechnology Quarterly 38:25-26; Chu, Q. R., et al., (1998), “A novel plant regeneration medium for rice anther culture of Southern U.S. crosses”, Rice Biotechnology Quarterly 35:15-16; Chu, Q. R., et al., (1997), “A novel basal medium for embryogenic callus induction of Southern US crosses”, Rice Biotechnology Quarterly 32:19-20; and Oono, K., “Broadening the Genetic Variability By Tissue Culture Methods”, Jap. J. Breed. 33 (Suppl. 2), 306-307, illus. 1983. Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiation produce rice plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of hybrid XL723.

Duncan, et al., Planta 165:322-332 (1985) reflects that 97% of the plants cultured that produced callus were capable of plant regeneration. Subsequent experiments with both cultivars and hybrids produced 91% regenerable callus that produced plants. In a further study in 1988, Songstad, et al., Plant Cell Reports 7:262-265 (1988), reports several media additions that enhance regenerability of callus of two cultivars. Other published reports also indicated that “non-traditional” tissues are capable of producing somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration. K. P. Rao et al., Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter, 60:64-65 (1986), refers to somatic embryogenesis from glume callus cultures and B. V. Conger, et al., Plant Cell Reports, 6:345-347 (1987) indicates somatic embryogenesis from the tissue cultures of corn leaf segments. Thus, it is clear from the literature that the state of the art is such that these methods of obtaining plants are routinely used and have a very high rate of success.

Tissue culture of corn is described in European Patent Application, publication 160,390. Corn tissue culture procedures are also described in Green and Rhodes, “Plant Regeneration in Tissue Culture of Maize,” Maize for Biological Research (Plant Molecular Biology Association, Charlottesville, Va. 367-372, (1982)) and in Duncan et al., “The Production of Callus Capable of Plant Regeneration from Immature Embryos of Numerous Zea Mays Genotypes”, 165 Planta 322:332 (1985). Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiation produce rice plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice hybrid XL723.

Additional Breeding Methods

The utility of rice hybrid XL723 also extends to crosses with other species. Commonly, suitable species will be of the family Graminaceae, and especially of the genera Zea, Tripsacum, Croix, Schlerachne, Polytoca, Chionachne, and Trilobachne, of the tribe Maydeae.

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a rice plant by crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant wherein the first or second parent rice plant is a rice plant of the hybrid XL723. Further, both first and second parent rice plants can come from the rice hybrid XL723. Thus, any such methods using the rice hybrid XL723 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like. All plants produced using rice hybrid XL723 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, including those developed from varieties derived from rice hybrid XL723. Advantageously, the rice hybrid of the present invention could be used in crosses with other, different, rice plants to produce the first generation (F₁) rice hybrid seeds and plants with superior characteristics. One or both parents of the hybrid of the invention can also be used for transformation where exogenous genes are introduced and expressed by one or both of the parents of the invention. Genetic variants created either through traditional breeding methods using one or both of the parents of XL723 or through transformation of one or both of the parents of XL723 by any of a number of protocols known to those of skill in the art are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

The following describes breeding methods that may be used with hybrid XL723 or with one or both of the parents of hybrid XL723 in the development of further rice plants. One such embodiment is a method for developing an XL723-derived progeny rice plant in a rice plant breeding program comprising: obtaining the rice plant, or a part thereof, of rice line XL723, utilizing said plant or plant part as a source of breeding material and selecting an XL723 progeny plant with molecular markers in common with XL723 and/or with morphological and/or physiological characteristics selected from the characteristics listed in Tables 1 or 2. The same method may be used with one or both of the parents of XL723. Breeding steps that may be used in the rice plant breeding program include pedigree breeding, back crossing, mutation breeding, and recurrent selection. In conjunction with these steps, techniques such as RFLP-enhanced selection, genetic marker enhanced selection (for example SSR markers) and the making of double haploids may be utilized.

Another method involves producing a population of XL723 progeny rice plants, comprising crossing rice hybrid XL723 with another rice plant, thereby producing a population of rice plants, which, on average, derive 50% of their alleles from rice hybrid XL723. A plant of this population may be selected and repeatedly selfed or sibbed with a rice cultivar resulting from these successive filial generations. One embodiment of this invention is the rice cultivar produced by this method and that has obtained at least 50% of its alleles from hybrid XL723. The same method may be used with one or both of the parents of XL723.

One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding would know how to evaluate the traits of two plant varieties to determine if there is no significant difference between the two traits expressed by those varieties. For example, see Fehr and Walt, Principles of Cultivar Development, p 261-286 (1987). Thus the invention includes rice hybrid XL723 progeny rice plants comprising a combination of at least two XL723 traits selected from the group consisting of those listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3 or the XL723 combination of traits listed in the Summary of the Invention, so that said progeny rice plant is not significantly different for said traits than rice hybrid XL723. Using techniques described herein, molecular markers may be used to identify said progeny plant as a XL723 progeny plant. Mean trait values may be used to determine whether trait differences are significant, and preferably the traits are measured on plants grown under the same environmental conditions. Once such a variety is developed its value is substantial since it is important to advance the germplasm base as a whole in order to maintain or improve traits such as yield, disease resistance, pest resistance, and plant performance in extreme environmental conditions.

Progeny of rice hybrid XL723 may also be characterized through their filial relationship with rice hybrid XL723, as for example, being within a certain number of breeding crosses of rice hybrid XL723. A breeding cross is a cross made to introduce new genetics into the progeny, and is distinguished from a cross, such as a self or a sib cross, made to select among existing genetic alleles. The lower the number of breeding crosses in the pedigree, the closer the relationship between rice hybrid XL723 and its progeny. For example, progeny produced by the methods described herein may be within 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 breeding crosses of rice hybrid XL723.

The seed of rice hybrid XL723, the plant produced from the hybrid seed, the hybrid rice plant produced from the crossing of the hybrid, and various parts of the hybrid rice plant and transgenic versions of the foregoing, can be utilized for human food, livestock feed, and as a raw material in industry.

TABLES

The following tables present data on the traits and characteristics of rice hybrid XL723 as compared with Cocodrie, a commonly grown rice variety in the U.S. The data were collected from multiple locations and repeated trials. In the following tables, probability figures indicate the probability associated with a paired Student's t-Test used to determine whether two samples are likely to have come from the same two underlying populations that have the same mean.

The results in Table 2 compare the yield, plant height, maturity, lodging and milling yields of XL723, the hybrid of the present invention produced by crossing inbred rice line 053001 with inbred rice line 054001, with those of Cocodrie. As shown in Table 2, hybrid XL723 unexpectedly has significantly higher yield, is significantly taller, and has significantly lower whole milling yields than Cocodrie.

In Table 2 below, column 2 shows the yield in kilograms per hectare, column 3 shows the plant height in centimeters, column 4 shows the number of days to 50% flowering, column 5 shows the percent lodging, column 6 shows the total milling percent and column 7 shows the whole milling percent. The number of different locations over which the data were collected is shown in row 3.

TABLE 2 Plant Yield Height Days to 50% Total Whole (kg/ha) (cm) Flowering Lodging % Milling % Milling % XL723 11,938 109 81 22 72.0 62.2 Cocodrie 9,815 96 83 16 72.0 64.8 Locations 19 8 9 5 18 18 Difference −2123 −13 2 −6 0.1 −2.5 Probability 0.000 0.000 0.038 0.077 0.407 0.002

The results of Table 3 compare the basic quality characteristics of XL723 and Cocodrie. Unexpectedly, XL723 had significantly lower amylose but similar ASV than Cocodrie. Also, the grain length and width are significantly greater than Cocodrie and the L/W ratio is similar.

In Table 3 below, column 2 shows the percent amylose, column 3 shows the alkali spreading value, column 4 shows the grain length, column 5 shows the grain width, column 6 shows the grain length to width ratio and column 7 shows the percent grain chalk. The number of different locations over which the data were collected is shown in row 3.

TABLE 3 L/W Amylose ASV Length Width Ratio Chalk XL723 20.4 3.9 6.93 2.17 3.21 17 Cocodrie 24.2 4.1 6.72 2.12 3.19 10 Locations 11 14 11 11 12 10 Difference 3.8 0.2 −0.20 −0.05 −0.02 −7 Probability 0.000 0.088 0.000 0.005 0.188 0.012

Table 4 compares starch characteristics between XL723 and Cocodrie. XL723 has a higher peak, trough, trough time, final viscosity, breakdown and consistency than Cocodrie but has a lower setback than Cocodrie.

In Table 4 below, column 2 shows the peak viscosity, column 3 shows the peak time, column 4 shows the trough, column 5 shows the trough time, column 6 shows the paste temperature, column 7 shows the paste time, column 8 shows the final viscosity, column 9 shows the breakdown, column 10 shows the setback and column 11 shows the consistency of the starch.

TABLE 4 Peak Peak Trough Paste Paste Final Viscosity Time Trough Time Temp Time Viscosity Breakdown Setback Consistency XL723 246 5.77 138 8.35 75.4 3.15 255 108 9 117 Cocodrie 156 5.75 103 8.25 76.0 3.20 213 53 57 110 Observations 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 Difference −90 −0.02 −35 −0.11 0.6 0.05 −42 −55 48 −7 Probability 0.000 0.262 0.000 0.014 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.043

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A deposit of the RiceTec, Inc. proprietary rice hybrid XL723 disclosed above and recited in the appended claims has been made with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110. The date of deposit was Jan. 25, 2007. The deposit of 2,500 seeds was taken from the same deposit maintained by RiceTec, Inc. since prior to the filing date of this application. All restrictions upon the deposit have been removed, and the deposit is intended to meet all of the requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.801-1.809. The ATCC accession number is PTA-8184. The deposit will be maintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request, or for the effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced as necessary during that period.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope. 

1. A hybrid rice seed designated XL723, wherein a representative sample of seed of said hybrid rice was deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8184.
 2. A rice plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. Pollen of the plant of claim
 2. 4. An ovule of the plant of claim
 2. 5. A rice plant, or a part thereof, having all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the rice plant of claim
 2. 6. A tissue culture of cells produced from the rice plant of claim 2, wherein said cells of the tissue culture are produced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of leaves, pollen, embryos, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cells, roots, root tips, pistils, anthers, flowers, stems, glumes and panicles.
 7. A protoplast produced from the plant of claim
 2. 8. A rice plant regenerated from the tissue culture of claim 6, wherein the plant has all the morphological and physiological characteristics of hybrid XL723.
 9. A method for producing a rice seed, wherein the method comprises crossing the plant of claim 2 with a different Orvza sativa rice plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid rice seed.
 10. A method of producing an herbicide resistant rice plant wherein the method comprises transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene wherein the transgene confers resistance to an herbicide selected from the group consisting of imidazolinone, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate, L-phosphinothricin, triazine and benzonitrile.
 11. An herbicide resistant rice plant produced by the method of claim
 10. 12. A method of producing an insect resistant rice plant wherein the method comprises transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers insect resistance.
 13. An insect resistant rice plant produced by the method of claim
 12. 14. The rice plant of claim 13, wherein the transgene encodes a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin.
 15. A method of producing a disease resistant rice plant wherein the method comprises transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers disease resistance.
 16. A disease resistant rice plant produced by the method of claim
 15. 17. A method of producing a rice plant with modified fatty acid metabolism or modified carbohydrate metabolism wherein the method comprises transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene encoding a protein selected from the group consisting of fructosyltransferase, levansucrase, alpha-amylase, invertase and starch branching enzyme or encoding an antisense of stearyl-ACP desaturase.
 18. A rice plant having modified fatty acid metabolism or modified carbohydrate metabolism produced by the method of claim
 17. 